Editing Mindanao (section)

=== Languages ===
{{unreferenced section|date=August 2020}}

Dozens of languages are spoken in Mindanao; among them, [[Cebuano language|Cebuano]], [[Hiligaynon language|Hiligaynon]], [[Maguindanao language|Maguindanaon]], [[Maranao language|Maranao]], [[Surigaonon language|Surigaonon]], [[Tausug language|Tausug]], and [[Chavacano]] are most widely spoken. Of the seven aforementioned regional languages, Cebuano (often referred to as ''Bisaya'') has the largest number of speakers, being spoken throughout Northern Mindanao (except the southern parts of [[Lanao del Norte]]), the Davao region, the western half of the Caraga region (as well as the city of [[Bislig]] and the municipalities surrounding it in [[Surigao del Sur]]), the entirety of the Zamboanga Peninsula (with the exception of Zamboanga City), and southern Soccsksargen.

Hiligaynon is the main language of Soccsksargen, where majority of the inhabitants are of ethnic Hiligaynon stock. [[Maguindanao language|Maguindanaon]], [[Manobo language|Manobo]], [[Tboli language|Tboli]] and [[Blaan language|Blaan]] are the indigenous languages spoken in Soccsksargen. [[Ilocano language|Ilocano]], a native language of the Luzon [[Ilocano people|ethnic group of the same name]], is also spoken in some areas in Soccsksargen, where they also share residency with Hiligaynons. Surigaonon is spoken in the eastern half of the Caraga region, mainly by the eponymous Surigaonons. Tausug is widely spoken specifically in the Sulu Archipelago, which comprises the provinces of [[Basilan]], [[Sulu]], and [[Tawi-Tawi]], with a sizeable community of speakers residing in Zamboanga City.

Maranao and Maguindanaon are the dominant languages of the eastern territories of the Bangsamoro, respectively, with the former being spoken in [[Lanao del Sur]] as well as the southern areas of Lanao del Norte, and the latter in the eponymous provinces of [[Maguindanao del Norte]] and [[Maguindanao del Sur]] and also in adjacent areas which are part of Soccsksargen. Chavacano is the native language of Zamboanga City and is also the lingua franca of Basilan; it is also spoken in the southernmost fringes of [[Zamboanga Sibugay]]. It is also spoken, albeit as a minority language, in [[Cotabato City]] and Davao City, where dialects of it, respectively, exist, namely Cotabateño and Castellano Abakay, both of which evolved from the variant of the language spoken in Zamboanga City.

[[Philippine English|English]] and [[Filipino language|Filipino]] are also widely understood and spoken, with the former being highly utilized in business and academia, and the latter being used to communicate with visitors from Luzon and other parts of Visayas. Filipino is also the main lingua franca of Cotabato City and in BARMM as a whole.